DELHI TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Residents of Delhi Township are advised to use caution when outside their homes after a pet boa constrictor got loose Sunday.

A homeowner in the 400 block of Morrvue Drive was feeding his pet snake in the backyard when after a short time he noticed the pet disappeared, Delhi Township reported.

Boa constrictors do not fall under the definition of a Dangerous Wild Animal and are permitted to keep as pets.

Police said the breed of snake will typically scurry away from commotion and people and prey on rabbits and rats.

With temperatures dropping between 40 to 50 degrees overnight Monday, police said the boa would not be able to survive for a very long time. They believe the snake will look for somewhere warm to turn, so they warn neighbors to be cautious when outside their homes.

“It’s kind of alarming because we do have kids in the neighborhood, a lot of kids in the neighborhood,” neighbor Andrew Egan said. “And then we also have my neighbors, myself, we have small dogs and stuff like that.”

The missing snake is about 6-feet long, off-white in color with black spots and black diamond outlines on its side.

Anyone who sees the snake is asked to call police at (513) 922-0060, so authorities can return it home safely.